


Justifying the Means

by Duck_Life



Series: X-Men Shorties [29]
Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Gen, Muir Island Saga, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 02:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21438859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duck_Life/pseuds/Duck_Life
Summary: Charles has some questions for Moira following the Shadow King's attack on Muir Isle.
Relationships: Moira MacTaggert & Charles Xavier
Series: X-Men Shorties [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1255247
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Justifying the Means

Charles Xavier sits in a wheelchair again for the first time in years. Moira is wheeling him down one of the still-standing corridors of the Muir Isle Research Facility. Through the window, he can see his students working together to clear the rubble and rock left behind by the Shadow King’s attack. 

“Moira,” Charles says, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Charlie,” she says softly. 

Wheels squeak against the floor. “Why test their mutant abilities against each other?” 

He can’t see Moira’s face, but he can tell that she’s clenching her jaw. He can just tell. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I spoke to Rogue,” he says. There hasn’t been time for much in-between dealing with David and recovering from his own injuries, but there was time for that. “She said that you— forgive me, that the  _ Shadow King _ — pitted the X-Men and other mutants against each other in a gladiatorial arena. To test their powers, their strengths and weaknesses.” 

“Mm.” Moira stops to move some wooden splinters out of their way, kicking them off to the side of the hallway. Her shoulders look tense. She returns to her place behind Charles’ chair. “I’m afraid it’s all a bit fuzzy to me, Charlie.” 

“It’s just, I don’t understand,” Charles continues. “The Shadow King’s whole plan was the murder all the X-Men to spite me. He only needed Lorna alive— everyone else, he was planning to dispose of.”

“I know, it’s terrible,” Moira says.

“See, but the thing is,” Charles says, “if he was always planning to destroy them— why bother with the arena fights? What could be the point in determining their power levels and the extent of their mutations?” 

“I don’t know…”

“I mean, that sounds more like  _ your _ avenues of research,” Charles says. 

They move across the debris-strewn floor in silence. 

“My son killed Irene Adler,” Charles says. “Under the influence of the Shadow King, he murdered Irene Adler. Did you know that?”

Quietly, Moira says, “Yes, I did.” 

“Well, it… Moira, you must understand—”

“What?” she snaps. “What ‘must I’ understand, Charles? My home has been desecrated, my mind has been violated… the— the Shadow King was controlling  _ everything _ .”

“How convenient that so many of the choices he made align with your own agendas.” 

“You’ve been through a lot, so I’ll let that comment slide—”

“Tell me the truth,” Charles says, twisting around so he can look at Moira— his colleague, his ally, his old flame, his confidant. Mutantkind’s best-kept secret. “In nine lives, did you ever encounter the Shadow King before this?”

“Never,” Moira says. But she isn’t meeting his eyes. “Charles, I swear. You can read my mind if you want. The Shadow King was in complete control, the whole time.” 

Charles stares at her. “The Shadow King works by unearthing our darkest desires, letting our ids take over,” he says. “He exploits our worst wants to achieve his own ends. Maybe… maybe that’s what happened.” 

“Maybe it was,” Moira says. “I guess we’ll never know. He’s gone now.” 

“He’ll be back,” Charles says. “He’s always back.” 

“Mm. I might need to go away for a while,” Moira muses. “Not now, but… soon, I think.”

“I can talk to Lilandra about getting a Shi’ar golem,” Charles says. “And then you can disappear.” 

“I think that would be good.”

Charles nods. “I can take it from here,” he says, using his arms to propel himself forward. “I need to go talk to Ororo about… well, about what comes next.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Moira says. She turns a corner and starts to walk away.

Charles calls after her, “Did the files survive?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Your findings. From the arena fights,” Charles says. “The data the Shadow King… made you… compile, about the strengths and weaknesses of the mutants. Did the files survive?”

Moira purses her lips and nods. “They were backed up to an external hard drive. They’re… I still have them.”

Charles tilts his head. His eyes look gray in the dim light. “How fortunate,” he says, and then he wheels away. 


End file.
